Pretty Little Liars
by TwistedTelepath
Summary: Every pretty girl has an ugly secret—especially high school sweethearts Sarah, Erica, Hannah, and Della. Their Queen Bee Elena vanished a year ago, taking their secrets with her… but in her place is "E," who's out for some dirty little vengeance. AH/CanonxCanon/CanonxOC/PLL S1/AU MBaV


**A/N: All made-up last names for the girls, except Hannah. Unless Della has a last name, and I don't know about it :P I suck at making up last names. I _might_ mix a little of the book in this first chapter, I'm still not so sure yet. Suggestions for MBaV to show as PLL ****characters are welcome, though I have some ideas in mind. Besides this first little snippet here, I'll fit in some of my own originality and et cetera. **

**For those of you who don't know me, I go by many names: Ashleigh, A, that weird chick, etc. But on this site, thou shall address me as… TwistedTelepath. Or any of those above *shrug* I am a diehard: Pretty Little Liars, My Babysitter's a Vampire, and Once Upon a Time fanatic, but mostly just the first two. I got this idea somehow, while I was watching PLL on Tuesday like any other PLL fan would, and stalking Wikipedia for information about MBaV's third season, (curse my aunt for giving me false information!), when an idea burst into my head. THIS FREAKING CROSSOVER.**

**There will be twenty-two chapters, for every episode on the first season. And I don't even know where it's gonna go from here, so we'll see. My classes might get in the way. That's a warning, guys! O.O The most I'll avoid an update would be three weeks, if not two, though that's not finalized. And this chapter is a ****little test-run to see how everything goes. Damn it's long! I'm gonna run over for corrections.**

**So, I started working on it, day and night, until my head started hurting because of how little MBaV characters there were in comparison to PLL characters. So, right now, that's my huge problem, but I WILL fix it somehow. If you guys wanna help me, I'm open to suggestions. :-) And by the looks of it, no matter how much I don't want it to be... this might turn into a Etharah and Benn- NO, I'M NOT SAYING IT. I want Mr. Striped Polo all alone... so I can smother him in love. We'll see... And believe me, Erica's awesome... just... not... the two... of them... to... get... her... *cringe* Eh, we'll see again. Maybe he can be Caleb. :O BUT WHAT ABOUT RORY? o.o I-I just don't know! Oh and Sunday's Mona. Why? Well, I have this sick theory that Sunday was secretly pissed off at Erica in the show, so here she is, being her best friend... FOR NOW. Oh, and 'cause she wanted to be nice to everyone. * = Beth isn't really an OC, I mean, I imagined her appearance, but she was mentioned in Die Pod, I just gave her a last name. And Heather was one of the girls who got eaten in Flushed. There. Explained.**

**Okay, enough chatter, lets read this damn fic.**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own PLL OR MBaV; no matter how much I try to trick you, it's just not gonna happen. :-(**

* * *

_Chapter One: Pilot_

_**One Year Ago...**_

There was music blasting inside the old barn. Four girls inside were all laughing and giggling, probably half-drunk. They were making random toasts off and on while there was a brewing storm outside, picking up slowly. This was Whitechapel, a small, posh town in Ontario; home to those four pretty girls: Sarah Smith, Erica Campbell, Hannah Price, and last but not least, Della Callaway.

They were _the _girls of Whitechapel High, and if you didn't know it, you lived under a rock.

"It's bad, huh?" Sarah asked as her friends laughed in response to her story. Her eyes switched from one friend to the other to the other.

Hannah was the smartest of their clique... but the bitchiest, next to their best friend Elena of course. She was snarky, but a good friend. She always dressed peppily and sophisticated-like. Della was the athlete, but also, a little air-headed from time to time. She was the best swimmer on Whitechapel High's swim team and her parents were extremely strict, so she barely let a curse fly out her mouth and kept quiet sometimes. And Erica was the utterly dorky one, "rocking" an oversized gray sweatshirt and black sweatpants. She had glasses and a retainer, but she was beautiful under all that. She was just scared to show it.

And Sarah was scared to admit it, but she kind of didn't know where she belonged. She was kind of bubbly and cooky, trying all sorts of new things, from putting purple highlights in her hair, to trying out for countless sports, to just hanging out with her friends.

Hannah took a sip from her red cup as the others giggled. The music cut off suddenly and the lights dimmed out, leaving the barn in darkness. The girls looked around in confusion.

"Whoa," Erica breathed, "what happened?"

"It must be the storm." replied Hannah, as she got up to try to reach for a flashlight. There was a creaking sound, and all looked up to see what the source of the noise. It kept on going, and it brought their senses up to a max.

"Something's out there." Sarah said, slightly frightened, pointing her flashlight in worry. The barn door creaked open behind them, slowly.

"Guys..." Erica whispered. The four got up and huddle together, with Sarah in the middle, pointing her flashlight to the door, as Erica and Hannah joined her sides, with Della in the back. Della held onto Hannah's shoulders as they creeped towards the door. There was a crash, and they screamed and gasped.

They proceeded with caution towards the door, all breathing either steady or hard. They made it, almost face-to-face with the door, when their friend, Elena DeMarenis jumped out, scaring them. "Gotcha!" she shouted. They sighed with relief and tried to catch their breaths as Elena strode in, with a devious smile on her face. The lighting from outside flashed on her face and the wind made her blonde hair twist with it.

"That's _so_ not funny, Elena!" Della screamed as they started laughing awkwardly.

"I thought it was _hilarious_, girls." Elena said, toying with her phone.

Elena was their queen bee, the head of their clique. Without her, they would be nothing but four outcasts. They were best friends, but to let them know that she was in control, Elena often teased them harshly, making them bow down to her.

"Ellie," Erica said, smiling, "did you download that new Beyoncé song yet?"

Elena groaned, "Not yet," as she settled down on a cushiony chair.

"I'm loving her new video!" Della chirped, hugging her legs in front of her.

"Maybe a little too _much_, Del." The others giggled, taking the joke lightly, but Della only gave a small smile, feeling slightly embarrassed. Elena turned to Sarah. She picked up a red cup and handed it to her. "Your turn. Go on."

Sarah rolled her eyes and started drinking. They laughed.

"Careful, Sarah." giggled Hannah. She looked at her carefully manicured nails, then stretched over her head to peer at her. "Take too much, and you'll tell us all your secrets." Sarah shook her head as the rest giggled.

"Friends _share_ secrets." Elena told them, looking around their little circle. "That's what keeps us close." Her blue eyes sparked up and her golden hair shined in the light. The girls knew that Ellie was gorgeous. That's why the guys wanted her, and the girls wanted to be her. Secretly the girls envied how perfect Ellie's life was. And she knew this, which made her smile. "Drink up." she commanded.

All of them took sips from their cups now, all except Ellie, who watched them. The girls giggled once more. Then, thunder crashed outside.

. . .

Hours later, Sarah jerked her head up, looking over the barn. Wax candles were lit, generating small light. Plastic cups were scattered on the table and she was laying on a beat-up sofa cushion. She looked up at Della and Erica, who were laying on opposite sides of a couch, both fast asleep silently. She looked for Hannah and Elena. When she didn't see them, She tapped Della's knee.

"Del..." she murmured, looking around again.

Della woke up sheepish. She looked around the barn. "Whoa..." She woke up Erica.

"Where's Ellie and Hannah?" Erica asked, sitting up on the couch.

"We don't know..." Sarah told her, shaking her head. She got up to the open door, where she spotted a distant silhouette. "Ellie?"

"She's gone." the person said. It was Hannah. Ellie wasn't in sight. Where could she have gone?

"What do you mean she's gone?"

"I've looked everywhere for her..." Della and Erica shared puzzled looks as Sarah stared at Hannah in disbelief. This couldn't be happening. Not tonight. "I think I heard her scream..." Thunder crashed for the last time...

* * *

_**One Year Later...**_

_Okay, Sarah. Everything's fine. Nothing's changed. What can change in a year?_

This was what Sarah Smith thought as she stood in front of the mirror in her old bedroom, er, her bedroom. She had spent the year in Finland with her parents and brother, and she just moved back to Whitechapel yesterday. And a lot had changed. She lost touch with her three best friends along the way and well, she didn't have pink hair anymore. It was all dark, and soft, striding down her back. Her big, gentle brown eyes were locked on her reflection, trying to see if anything else was different.

She was still short. Hopelessly, undeniably short. But she was pretty, with soft, light brown skin, full eyelashes that fluttered, and an attractive body. She smoothed the black pleaded skirt that hugged her waist.

"Sarah, are you okay?" a voice asked from behind her.

She turned around, greeting her mom with a smile. Now, she remembered where her shortness came from, but she was a smitch taller than her. Her hands were folded and she leaned against the door frame.

She shook her head a little. "It's kind of weird... to be home, I mean." She looked around the empty bedroom, but it was the same as when she left it. Light blue, Victorian wallpaper. A little shimmery chandelier in the center. A window to look out into their backyard. She sat herself down on a box, dedicated all to shoes.

"We were gone a year," Mrs. Smith said, coming behind her and stroking her daughter's back. "When you're sixteen, that's a long time, sweetie." She gave her a kiss on her cheek. "Everything'll be fine."

"I still think about her every day..." Sarah trailed off, hinting to the disappearance of her old friend, Elena, who vanished at the sleepover at Hannah Price's house almost a year ago.

"Why don't you call your friends? They don't know we're back yet."

"On the news, they're calling it the 'Anniversary of Elena's Disappearance,' like it's a party or something." She looked down at her brown fringe boots, giving a little frown. "It's not right."

"Why don't you give them a call?" Mrs. Smith suggested, trying to change the subject. "You guys were inseparable, and these feelings don't just go away." Sarah could remember how close she used to be to Erica, Della, and Hannah. Things did get distant, and everything still felt normal, she just worried that they wouldn't feel the same way.

Her brother Sam showed up in the hallway. "I need a ride to hockey!" He darted downstairs.

Mrs. Smith looked back at Sarah. She held up the keys to their Volvo. Sarah rolled her eyes and took them willingly.

"I'll take him..." she murmured, getting up and following him. She found him downstairs, shuffling through the several brown boxes sacked on the kitchen counter and scattered on the floors of their family room. "What's up with you?"

"Well, we have ice hockey tryouts today, and my stuff's in like a hundred boxes..." She gave him a look. "You know what I mean."

"No, actually, I don't. Try the garage."

Mrs. Smith came downstairs and motioned for him to follow. "Come on." The two vanished, leaving just Sarah and Mr. Smith in the room.

Sarah took her bag and combed her fingers through her hair as her dad approached her. She was about to walk toward the door, but she bumped in front of him. She looked away from the brown eyes they shared, and looked over at the old, rolled-up rug in the corner of the living room.

"I know being back here," he spoke, trying to make her look at him, "brings back a lot of memories... You okay?"

"Dad. I'm still keeping your secret, okay?" she assured him, looking back up. "It's not going anywhere."

Mr. Smith scanned her up and down. "I meant, are you okay with Elena?"

"Ohh..." Sarah looked down, embarrassed that she even brought that secret-thing up. A few months before she and her family left for Finland, she and Elena were walking home from school—well running, because they wanted to get away from the infamous, annoying-as-hell Sunday**(insert last name I forgot here)**—when they caught her father in his car, kissing another woman. One of his students. They didn't tell her mother, and Sarah didn't want her to know, afraid that her mom would lose all faith and trust in her.

"Come on! Lets _go_!" Sam hissed, knocking her in the head with his gear.

She pushed him out the door and took the car keys from her father, shutting the front door behind her.

. . .

Pulling up to Whitechapel High for the first time in ages felt abnormal. Tons of guys crowded in front of the door and some were filing into a van, probably heading off to the arena. Sarah unlocked Sam's door and he got out, without a "bye" or "thank you."

"What time am I picking you up?" she asked anyway. "You guys are gonna meet back here, right?"

"Yeah," he told her, "about six or seven-ish. Later." He dashed off with his friends.

Sarah rolled her eyes and glanced at the time. She had two hours to kill. She decided to head off to the local bar for something to eat.

. . .

"Can I get a cheeseburger, please?"

"Sure thing." the guy behind the counter said, winking at her. He went towards the back, into the kitchen.

Sarah's eyes wandered to the bulletin board, where everyone either put up party flyers, help wanted posters, missing pet papers, and odd newspaper clips. But one stood out the most.

_Missing: Elena DeMarenis_

_Would Now Be 16_

Ellie's picture was in black and white, but you could still see how perfectly beautiful she was with long, curly hair, high cheekbones, and pretty light eyes that seemed to stare right at you, strangely.

Sarah suddenly looked down at the counter, trying to hold back the tears. She didn't know why she was about to cry, since Ellie made her feel insecure at times and made sure that she felt like absolute nothing. But she was a great friend when she wanted to be, even though she didn't act like it.

"You okay?" a voice asked.

She looked over at the guy two stools down from her. He was cute. He had scruffy dark hair that sorta hung in his face. His eyes were dark brown, gazing at her. His skin was fair and a smile crossed his mouth. He looked like a smart, stick-to-the-books type of guy by the way he was intently scanning through F. Scott Fitzgerald's _The Great Gatsby_ a few seconds ago.

"I'm a bit jet-lagged," Sarah responding, smiling back. "I just got back from Europe."

"Where in Europe?" he pondered, staring back at his novel again.

"Finland. Helsinki."

"I spent some time in Helsinki before I went to Moscow." he added, looking back up at her. "It's a great city."

"So, do you go to Greenbay?" Why was she communicating with this stranger? Normally, she just kept to herself, but it felt right to talk to him.

"Just graduated. I'm going to start my first teaching job."

"I… I think I'd like to teach." _Meet Me On The Equinox_ by Death Cab for Cutie hummered in the background, making her hum along and sway to it. "God, I _love_ this song."

"Uh, what's your major?" the stranger asked.

She stared blankly at him. Did he think she was in college? Oh, crap. Well, technically she wasn't lying when she said, "I'm leaning towards English. And I like to write too but... it's... personal, if you get what I mean." Yeah, _diary_-personal.

"I'm impressed." he chuckled.

"Why?" Sarah asked, narrowing her eyes in confusion.

"Well, I tried writing..." The guy moved down the two seats so he was next to her. "And I didn't get so far." He exhaled, letting some of his hair flair up. "You're lucky. If you're writing for yourself, it's pure passion. Maybe you'd let me read some of yours?"

Whoa, like a date, perhaps? "Yeah? You'd want to?"

"Yeah," he said a little loudly. "You're smart, you've traveled... you have great taste in music." The last one made her chuckle. "I'd... like to know more about you."

"Totally; I'd like to know more about you, too."

. . .

A couple minutes later, it felt like she had known this guy forever. His name was Ethan. He was actually really smart and a nerdy kind of cute. He was into her...

And this expressed it: They were no making out in the mens' room. He was holding onto her waist, guiding her on top of the sink counter as she pushed further into the kiss, randomly putting her tongue anywhere inside his mouth. Her hands passed down his face when he touched her thigh, rubbing into it.

She broke it off, breathing heavy.

"This is fucking crazy." she breathed.

"Just go with it." Ethan said, kissing her again, making her back lean against the mirror.

Sarah guessed he could be the devil... He was wearing red after all.

* * *

_These look fierce_, Erica Campbell thought as she modelled big, Gucci sunglasses in the mirror at the mall.

She donned a smile, running her fingers through hair. Tons had changed from a year ago. She was no longer Erica Campbell: The Fat Dork. She was now beautifully transformed into Erica Campbell: The Sexy Goddess of WC High. And anyone who thought otherwise could freakin' kill themselves.

Yeah, she was kind of full of herself, but she had every right to be so. Who could blame her? If only Ellie could see her now. Tall, skinny, and one hundred percent drop-dead fabulous.

"Can I see the Pradas in the front?" she requested to the salesguy up front.

"I'll have to put some in the back, then." he said, looking down at the dozens of sunglasses she had selected. All super-expensive and designer labels.

She lowered the sunglasses to bat her blue eyes. "But they're all maybes." she pleaded, pouting. He fell into her look and went to go get them. She smiled with satisfaction. She came here on a weekly basis, so they _knew_ what she wanted.

"Hey, is this me?" her best friend, Sunday **(insert last name again)** asked, flopping up a multicolored scarf that was wrapped around her neck. That fugly scarf made Erica wince, looking away from a little while.

"Or is it a _little_ too much your mom?" she commented, giving a sweet smile afterward.

Sunday shivered and turned back into the full-length mirror behind her. Erica turned herself back around and looked at the salesguy. He handed her the most gorgeous Chanel specs. She slid them on her face and shook out her long blonde hair. She turned to Sunday, who was now wearing a _way_ better red scarf. She smiled, admiring them on Erica.

"I am loving those glasses," she told her, smiling wide. "How much?"

"Three fifty." Erica answered nonchalantly. They were expensive, yes, but she knew what she was doing.

Her eyes wandered through the glasses to the round second floor, where shockingly, her old friend Hannah Price was. She was dressed in a button-down burgundy cardigan, ugly plaid blue tie, white dress shirt, and a cute white mini-skirt from what she could see. She was shuffling through a clothes rack with her dark hair pulled back and flowing wavily down her back.

_I should pay her a visit. _she decided. She spun around to tell the guy behind the desk, "I'll be right back." with a flirty smile. He smiled back and she could feel his eyes on her as she sashayed towards the escalator, stepped on, and tapped the railing with her decorated black and white nails. When she made it up a flight, she marched on over to Hannah, taking put her glasses.

"I cannot believe Hannah Price actually has time to shop." Erica said, drawing Hannah's attention from the rack. She gave an awkward smile and looked straight at her without any hesitation with her serious brown eyes. "I mean... you're interning for the mayor, taking classes at Greenbay, and redoing your old barn in your backyard. And in your leisure moments, you Facebook and Tweet." She gave a playful gasp at the end.

"You know me," assured Hannah, looking back at the rack, "I like to stay busy."

Erica rolled her eyes. "It's called a summer _vacay_, Han."

"Hey, you spent yours sunning and shopping."

"Tweet-tweet."

Hannah chuckled, looking away from her. Her face soon hardened a little. "Did you see the paper today?" Erica nodded, avoiding her gaze. It was hard not to think about it... It's all over town. Elena DeMarnis. Missing for over a year. Erica only missed her a little... Knowing Elena was hard, since she knew all her sly little secrets and coincidentally she knew none of hers, even when she put her through hell. "... She's gone, but she's everywhere." Hannah went on, in a hushed voice this time.

"I can't believe it's been a year," Erica said, shaking her head a little in disbelief.

"Do you remember what Ellie said that night, about our secrets keeping us close?" Erica nodded again. "I think it was the exact opposite." There was a long-winded, awkward silence. Following Ellie's disappearance, their friend Sarah Smith moved away to Iceland or something, and she, Hannah, and another friend, Della Callaway, drifted apart, making their best friend bond parish and going their separate ways. Come to think of it, without that, Erica would've still been repulsive, so she owed it to Ellie.

"So!" she said, changing the solemn subject. "Why are you here? What's the occasion?"

"Family dinner." Hannah explained, going through the rack again. "We're meeting Anna's fiancé." She fished out a bright white blazer from the rack. Erica hinted her sarcastic excitement at the end.

Anna was Hannah's older, more-adept, and arrogant sister who seemed to have life on its knees. Erica knew if Hannah won a prestigious award, Anna already won it three times. If Hannah met the mayor, Anna knew him so well, they went out to the bar on weekends. If Hannah got an outstanding GPA, Anna got one point higher.

"Did Miss Perfect find a _Mr_. Perfect?" questioned Erica, walking over to the cash register with Hannah.

"He's a med student, so everyone's _thrilled_."

"... Then that's not the right top." The blonde walked over to a nearby stand and passing her hands through it, looking for a different top. "You need need to turn heads." She spotted a silky and sexy dark red shirt with a ruffly neckline and no straps.

"Away from Anna? Please." Hannah scoffed.

Erica took out the top and showed it off to Hannah. "She doesn't always have to win." She handed it to her. Hannah ran her hand on the fabric, smirking. She accepted it, holding it by the hanger. "See you around the playground."

She walked off to the escalators again, hopping on one and going down, looking below her. She watched her step on the way off and walked forward. Luckily, the salesguy was all the way on the other side of the floor. A security guard watched her as she made her way out. Once past him, Erica lowered her new Chanel sunglasses and smirked deviously.

_Don't worry, _she told herself, _you're __almost out..._

"Miss!" someone called. Her heart stopped as she was tugged on. The same guard was there, looking at her. Her lips were parted, ready to stutter out her excuse, when he held up her caramel-colored Fendi purse, making her whisper a relief. "Forgot your bag."

"Thanks." she breathed, taking it, propping it on her shoulder, and turning back around. She sighed and Sunday came into view from a far corner, near the elevators, wearing the same red scarf she had on when they were together earlier.

Sunday sighed. "I so thought you were busted, E."

"Nice scarf." Erica complimented at they walked towards yet another escalator.

"Nice glasses."

* * *

The next day, on her first day back to school, Mr. Smith drove Sarah and Sam to school. Sam immediately got out first, saying a quick, "Later," and running off to join his old friends. Sarah stuck in the car, taking up her purse/bookbag and hoisting it on her shoulder. She opened the car door and was about to walk out when her dad took hold of her arm.

"Hey," her dad said, making her turn around.

She sighed. "It's the first day; I don't want to be late."

"I love you, Sarah." he said suddenly. "You know that, right?"

She shook her head and rolled her eyes, shrugging at the same time. "_Yeah_. I _know_..."

"And, you know that I love your mom."

Sarah seriously doubted that. If he loved her mom, why the hell would he cheat on her with some college student? That was deceitful and cruel, and who knew how many times he did it.

"Do you?" she questioned, tilting her head to the side.

He nodded and kept his eyes on her. "I make a mistake, okay? And I will be sorry about it for the rest of my life. I just hope that someday, you'll be able to forgive me. Okay?"

Sarah nodded along with him. "I hope so, too." She pushed her way out the car and slammed the door coldly. She stepped on the pavement of the sidewalk and turned around to watch Mr. Smith's chair drive off... She noticed his Greenbay College sticker that was pasted on the back window. Then she was struck with the horrible memory again...

_"Sarah!" __hollered Sunday. "Hey guys!" Sarah and Elena were walking home from school, almost by the Smiths' house when Sunday had saw them and decided to chase them down. "Elena! Hey!" _

_Sarah looked from her strawberry fro-yo and back at Sunday, who was wearing an ugly striped sweater, long jean-skirt, and socks and sandals. Yuck. Her hair was in pigtails and you could see those huge glasses she wore from a mile away._

_"You hear Sunday?" Elena asked with disgust, rolling her eyes._

_"Hey!" Sunday kept calling. _

_Sarah didn't want to feel sorry for her, but she didn't have a choice. Sunday had been stalking them every day on Ellie's block, since the two lived across the street from each other. She was geeky and desperate to be their __friend, but Elena only mocked and sneered about her and to her harshly. The rest of them regretted it, but they followed along. No one disobeyed Ellie's orders._

_"Maybe we should wait..." Sarah said in a soft voice, half-thinking to herself._

_"Hey, guys!" Sunday shouted. Sarah looked back. The girl waved her arms wildly, trying to get their attention._

_"My God!" Ellie scolded, shaking her head. "Is she ever gonna get a clue? What a loser." Sarah showed a fake smile and nodded a little. "Come here."_

_Ellie pulled Sarah's arm, making her follow into a little corner. They hurried off before Sunday could follow. They started getting giggly, running further down the walkway until they spotted a car parked on the side, a little hidden in the bushes and leaves. Sarah's smile dropped a little. No... it couldn't have been... could it? Her dad's car? Why would he pull his car over like that? Ellie thought the same thing obviously._

_"Hey," she said with a frazzled expression, "isn't that your dad's car?"_

_Sarah let go of Ellie's hand and stared into the car. She let go a little gasp when she saw her father in the backseat, smoothing his hands all over a young woman, maybe around the age of twenty-four or so. All she could make out was a young face and honey-blonde hair. They kissed passionately. Her fro-yo dropped onto the pavement, smothering it in strawberry yogurt with nuts._

_"Holy fuck..." she breathed, holding her face, feeling mortified..._

"_Sarah_?" someone said, pulling her out of her flashback. "Sarah Smith?"

Sarah propped a smile back on her face when she turned around to see her old friend, Della Callaway, coming behind her. She giggled. She still had sleek blonde hair that was kept in a ponytail, pretty brown eyes, and a skinny figure. She wore a mini-skirt with her legs looking like sticks underneath. She held a bag in one hand.

"Della!" she squealed, wrapping her arms around her, barely meeting her chin.

Della hugged back, laughing. "When did you get back?" she asked, sounding just as excited as she was.

"Just yesterday." They let go of each other and walked towards the school's main building.

"I almost didn't recognize you! I think," Della said, still with a smile, "the last time we saw each other, you had a purple stripe in your hair."

Sarah shrugged and pushed some hair back from flying in her face. "Yeah... well, when your parents want you to be yourself, and you don't know who you are..." She made a gesture to her head, chuckling.

"You wore it well." Della told her, flashing one last smile before her face hardened a little. "You should of called; it's too weird just... _running_ into you here."

Sarah bit her lip, looking down at her flats. Her mom was right. Karma's a real bitch. "Well... we kind of lost touch, Del. Remember?" They hadn't talked in a year, since the move. Maybe she sort of forgot. Della was probably too busy to remember anyway.

"That's what we had to do."

There was an awkward moment of silence, minus all the buzzing commotion and birds singing.

Sarah sighed, wanting to change the subject, but the only thing crossing her mind was, "I saw a poster of Elena yesterday... It's awful." Kind of a weird thing to bring up... your missing best friend. What was she thinking?

"I mean, we all know she's dead, right?" Sarah stopped to stare at Della. The school bell rang as they started up the entrance's steps. "No one can be gone for that long, unharmed."

She nodded slowly, even though she disagreed entirely. "I just never heard anyone say it."

. . .

"So, I heard the new teacher's really cute," Della continued, walking into Biology. Sarah followed her as she led the way to their seats. Della had been a really great help, showing her around and bringing her up to speed on what classes to take and what teachers to look out for. She could vaguely remember.

She sat down, bringing her bag behind her chair, when she turned to see a blonde girl in a pretty, strapless halter top with a short skirt and knee-high leather boots and matching leather jacket. She passed in the other row, people scooting away to make room for her. Sarah's eyes widened. No way!

"God, is that Erica?" she asked Della, facing the other way. She tried to keep her voice down.

Della raised an eyebrow as she looked, nodding. "She's Miss Popular now." Sarah looked back at the row, where a shorter blonde came by Erica. Sarah didn't know her... "And where there's Erica, there's Sunday."

Sarah gasped, blinking. The glasses were ditched, no more ugly sweater, and long, honey hair cascading down Sunday's back. She looked drop-dead gorgeous. "_That's_ Sunday? No way."

"Can you believe it?"

"No! Talk about a makeover!" she whispered, leaning near Della. She giggled. Looking back again, Erica was looking straight back at them... or at least Sarah thought she was looking at them. She wiggled her fingers, smirking. Sarah waved back hesitantly. She instantly turned back to Sunday, whispering something. "What's up with her? You two fighting?"

Della looked uncomfortable about the topic. She cleared her throat and took out her books, placing them straightly on the desk in front of her. "We didn't just fall out of touch with you, Sarah," she explaining, eyes still on the desk, "we all fell out of touch with each other." Next to proceed into the room was Hannah, who walking directly by Erica and Sunday and to her desk, but Sarah could detect a fake or quick smile exchanged between both. "They're not so close either."

Sarah turned back to Della. "So, they're friendly, but not friends?"

She nodded. The bell rang again, starting class. Sarah took a look at her bag, taking out her binder. Chalk clicked against the board up front as she picked up her pen to write her heading... though she questioned why she still wrote heading in high school. Someone sighed just as the chalk stopped.

"Holy crap." a familiar voice said.

Sarah looked up and nearly jumped when she saw that the whole class was turned to her. Even Erica and Hannah. And right there to make matters worse, by the teacher's desk... was the same guy she hooked up with yesterday. Ethan. Holy crap was an understatement compared to this. No... Ethan could not have been her Bio teacher! She couldn't have kissed her Bio teacher! Oh no...

Her phone beeped and she almost fell over to get it. "Sorry." she murmured, fishing it out of her bag.

"Uh..." Ethan stalled. "I'm Mr. Morgan, your new Biology teacher."

Sarah shook her head to herself. This couldn't be happening. She looked at her phone and panicked when she read the message in her head:

_Sarah: Maybe he fools around with students all of the time. A lot of teachers do. Just ask your dad! ; ) -E_

E... why was that familiar?

"Elena?" she whispered to herself.

* * *

_Okay, _Della thought, _that's weird. Ooh, OJ._

Standing front of the fridge, she took out the container of orange juice and set it on the counter, looking at the soon-to-be full glass sitting next to it. All she could think about was why on Earth? Why on Earth would they sell the DeMarenis house? That had to be weird. Her mother thought it was okay; she was preparing a "Welcome to Whitechapel" basket with brownies and home essentials and such. Why did Mrs. Callaway do this? She didn't know. It was like she was neglected to be that one lady who welcomed people to the neighborhood with open arms.

"I can't believe they sold the house," Della finally said calmly, still looking down at the table.

She could feel her mother's eyes move on her. "Just too many memories for the DeMarenises." She looked up to see her mom putting the finishing touches on the dark chocolate wicker basket in front of her. "I can't even imagine."

Della poured herself some orange juice. "It's just so weird to think of other people living in Elena's house."

"I know, honey." she sighed, looking up at her.

After a brief moment of silence, Della spoke up, by saying, "Sarah's back."

"Does she still have that purple hair?"

Della bit back a laugh. "No, Mom, she doesn't."

"You know something?" Mrs. Callaway pressed her hands on the counter, smiling wide. "I never really understood that family. I mean, why would a mother let her daughter do something like that?"

"... Because they believe their kids are their equals; not their property."

She knew saying something like that could put her in a hell of a lot of trouble, since her mother was really strict and uptight about what she did. She felt guarded all the time. Like, she never really had any say in anything, or she had a lack of freedom and self-expression.

Mrs. Callaway chuckled, coming back over with a jar of jelly and a jar of cornichons in each hand. "Honey, I don't think you're my property, but I'm your _mom._ What kind of mother would I be if I allowed you run around looking like a goth." She set down both jars behind the basket. "And that kind of lifestyle might fly in Europe, but it's not gonna get you very far here in Whitechapel."

Della looked forward, smiling to herself. "Not everyone dreams of making in Whitechapel, Mom."

She looked at her as if she were joking. "Oh?" She walked away to get some cans.

"Some people dream of making it _out_."

. . .

The old memories could just sink in and spill out all over the DeMarenis house. Movers in dirt-colored jumpsuits carried a sofa into the place as Della made her way towards the old place, gripping her mother's welcome basket tighter. It hurt to remember Ellie. She was her best friend after all, and you couldn't just let that go. Some old junk was piled high by the curb. Della leaned in for a closer look. Things like books and papers and shiny bags and little trinkets that could be automatically recognized as Ellie's. A red, blue, and white stringed-medal was lying on top of some of the rummage.

Della came closer to it, picked it up, wrapping the cloth around her hand and staring at the bronze medallion hanging from it. It was hers. A swim medal she must've left at Ellie's house some day.

"You want that?" someone asked. Della's head shot up to see a girl coming toward her. She was pretty. She had shoulder-length, black-brown-colored hair, tanned skin, and from what she could tell, dark eyes. She smiled, holding her hand up and waving. "Beth Sinclair*****, aka new girl."

Della had a million questions, but for now, she just went with, "I'm Della." She looked down at the basket in her hand and moved it towards Beth. "Welcome to the neighborhood." she greeted with a smile spread across her face.

"Thank you," Beth replied, taking it. She peered at it, searching through it. "Mmm. Foie Gras and cornichons. My favorites." She looked back up at Della.

"It's from my mother," she said, nodding. She still held her medal in her hand, clutching onto it like a new toy.

"I figured," Beth chuckled. "Oh, that stuff was in my room." She shook her head and looked down at the medal, shrugging. "You can have anything you want."

Della looked away awkwardly. How could this girl just move in and give away Elena's stuff? That's kind of weird. "It all belonged to Elena."

"Is she a friend of yours?"

"She was, a long time ago..."

Beth stared at her blankly. "That's... all I get? No details?"

Rude, much? Della wanted to say that, but it wouldn't be one of her ideal things to say to a new neighbor. "Uh, there were five of us who used to hang out, but... we don't hang out anymore." That's all she needed to know. No missing Elena or anything... not yet anyway.

"Would it be... _outrageous _of me to ask if you'll help with our last few boxes?" she asked, sounding exhausted as she did.

"Yes." Della said with a sick smile. Beth tilted her head. "But I don't mind." Beth smiled and nodded, then turned back to the house with the welcome package in front of her. Della put the medal back with the stack of things and followed in the house.

. . .

"So why aren't you still friends," Beth said, "with the girl who used to live here?" They carried a box each into a room, Beth in the front, Della in the back.

"You ask _a lot_ of questions," Della breathed, setting her box in front of the bed, on a little wooden chair. Things she could tell apart from the room were jewelry sprawled across a white dresser, a tinted guitar, and a lot of boxes crowding around the bed.

"Well, how else am I supposed to get to know you?"

"There you go. Another question."

"Fine," Beth said, folding, or as least Della thought she was, a silky blanket, "your turn. Ask me anything."

Della scoped the room until she spotted a picture of a guy on a chest. She walked toward it and held it up. "Is this your boyfriend?"

She saw Beth nod. "His name's Jacob."

Della smiled as she studied his features, if that didn't sound too weird. "He's _cute_."

"He's also a bunch of miles away." Beth added softly, sounding a little sensitive to the topic.

"My boyfriend's name is Rob." Della set the Jacob's picture faintly on the chest again. She turned towards Beth again, who was folding clothes, sitting on top of a box. She smiled brightly, quickly adjusting to the new topic.

"What's he like?" she pondered, looking up.

"He's a swimmer; like me."

Beth put the folded cloth down beside her and scanned Della top to bottom. "I bet you're good. You _totally_ have the body." Della giggled quietly. Something sounded outside. She turned towards the backyard's window, where some sort of construction was going on. An earthmover was lifting a scoop of dirt from the ground and moving it behind it. "My mom's a cellist, they're building a studio."

"Do you play?"

"Yeah. But not the cello." The two snickered. "So, if you're a big jock, does that mean you'd _kill_ me if I smoked a little weed?" Beth played with the necklace around her neck.

_Was this bitch crazy?_ Della asked herself. She tried to play it off like she was cool but she ended up sounding like a little girl when she asked, "_Now_?"

"I won't, if you don't want me to."

_This is a sick joke._ "Where are your parents?"

"_Relax_." Beth sighed, turning and walking. "They're out." She moved towards the bed.

"Go ahead..."

Beth ducked underneath the bed and pulled out a little pack that she opened to show little weed joints. This made Della ten times more nervous than before. Her mother would absolutely _kill _her for sticking around whilst this girl-whom she barely knew-was smoking pot, getting high, and in her presence. To think she was pissed off when she hung out with "Goth Sarah," wait until she got a load of "Blunt Beth." This could screw her over for months of grounding, if not, a whole year!

And then, if things didn't seem weird and bad enough, Beth asked Della, "You want to join me?"

_Oh my God, say no! GET OUT OF HERE. _

But not following her instincts, Della replied, "Okay."

A little part of her inside wanted to live a little. Her mom wouldn't know. Her rules couldn't apply to her here. She smoothed the bottom of her skirt and sat next to Beth on the bed, staring at the pack nervously. Was she really ready for a risk like this? What if she... died?

"First time?" Beth questioned, looking up at her. Sincere was lingering in her pretty brown eyes. Or was that temptation?

"No..." Della scoffed, maning-up. Well... womaning-up. Beth gave her a dead look. A guilty look. She gave under the pressure. "_Yes_."

Beth smirked. "So, I'm corrupting you?" Della hid her smile, looking away. "You okay with that?" She turned back. This time, she really looked concerned.

"Yeah. I think I am." Beth's smile transformed into a full-fledged grin. She took out a lighter.

* * *

"Hey, what do you think?" Hannah asked Anna, walking up to her, crossed-armed.

Deep inside, Hannah was gloating. She was supposed to move into the barn in the backyard. It was a deal she made with her parents. Good grades and such supplied the deal also, and she was really living up to her older sister's potential. Everyone knew Anna was Miss Perfect. _Everyone_. Anna brought home awards that Hannah could either only dream of or bring home after a long year of striving and longing for. Anna could do anything Hannah could do, but a trillion-times better. It friggin' hurt that her parents gawked all over Anna's accomplishments and barely her own. But now, she was glad all her priceless hard work had paid off, so now she could _smear _it all in Anna's damn face.

"You have an eye for design," Anna admitted, coming out of the barn. "I absolutely love it."

Hannah was surprised, but she tried to hide it. "_Thank_ you."

"Honestly, when Mom said you were converting the barn into a loft, I couldn't see it. But, it's beautiful. Job well-done."

"I'm glad you like it." Hannah smiled bigger and wider.

"And I totally appreciate you letting us move in."

_Whoa, whoa, whoa! What the hell?_ thought Hannah, taking a step back.

"What?" was all she could really say. Was this really happening?

"Richard and I are staying in the barn while we redo my place in the city," Anna explained, looking frazzled.

"I-I'm moving in for junior year, Anna." Hannah spoke up, feeling like she just pointed a gun at her chest and shot her using all her bullets. "That's the deal that I made with Mom and Dad! I got the grades, I did the internship, I gave up my summer because I _wanted _this." No way could this be happening. Was she being punk'd. Oh my God.

"Well," sang Anna, closing her deep-set brown eyes and opening them with a wicked smile, "you'll just have to wait."

"Why can't you stay in my room?"

"We're a couple, Hannah, we need our own space. And Mom and Dad agree."

"But they promised me." Hannah tried to keep her voice down when a guy appeared beside Anna as she chuckled. That little-

"Is everything okay?" he asked, looking like he had sympathy. Probably fake. "I'm Richard." He gave a crooked smile, looking at Hannah. He had brown eyes, dark hair, and fair-ish looking skin, thought that was probably from the lighting outside. He was cute, but Hannah could care less right now when he and her snob of a sister were taking her hard-earned barn away from her.

Anna rubbed his arm and brought him closer to her. "I was hoping you'd be happy for me."

"Well," Hannah started, wearing her best false smile, "you know what they say about hope: breeds eternal misery." Hannah turned and stormed away into the house.

. . .

That night, Hannah sat outside in the backyard's patio, reading To Kill a Mocking Bird as smoke faintly came under her nose. She looked up to see Richard, stuffing a cigarette into the plant's ceramic vase. Interesting. Smoking before a big dinner. She had barely cooled off over the whole "Anna moving into the barn" thing, but that didn't mean she was necessarily mad at Richard. He was just a pawn in the game. She had her feet elevated on the table between her chair and the next, legs crossed.

"Shouldn't you know better?" she asked, smiling. "I mean, you are a med student, right?"

"You're a bit of a smart-ass." Richard said, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"A _bit_?" Hannah gasped sarcastically. She looked back at the book and flipped the page. "Does my sister know you smoke?" Her eyes fixed back on Richard, who looked amused.

"Does she have to know everything?" he asked." Hannah smiled again at this. Maybe she'd like this guy. He seemed pretty cool. "I'm sorry that we're moving into your loft. If you want me to say something..."

Her face softened. "It wouldn't make a difference." she replied quietly, almost making it sound like a whisper. "Thank you, for being sorry." Richard shrugged, still looking apologetic. Hannah uncrossed her legs and swiftly placed them back on the ground, letting the blood flood back in. "You're not like Anna's usual boyfriends." She folded the page she was on.

"How am I unusual?"

Hannah closed the book. "We're late for dinner." She got up and stopped beside him on her way back inside. "I actually like you." she told him, seriously. "That's what's unusual."

* * *

Meanwhile, at school, Sarah moved slowly but at a pace through the hallway. She needed to get this off her chest. How could she just live with herself knowing that she kissed her Bio teacher? Was that even legal? But she liked him. She liked Ethan a lot. She couldn't really explain how, but she just felt unintentionally drawn to him. He was cute, he was funny, he was smart, and he was kind. She couldn't just let something like that go. She went toward the Biology classroom's door and gently knocked on the glass, making Ethan look up and at her. She let herself in.

"You told me you went to Greenbay," he said suddenly, twirling a number two pencil in between his fingers.

"No," Sarah denied, shaking her head as she moved closer to him, "I said I was thinking about majoring in English. And that's _true_."

"Look, I think you're... amazing, Sarah. When I first met you," He shook his head in thought, "I thought 'Who is this girl?'" He sighed and peered down at some papers in front of him.

Sarah leaned in and touched his open hand, lacing her fingers with his. "I'm still that girl. Nothing's changed."

"Yes. Yes it has, I'm your _teacher_."

_Well, _she thought, _when you put it that way._

"I know it's not just me," she said instead, shaking her head as she looked at him, "You-you feel like this is right for us, too." She wanted this. She wanted this bad.

"But it's not right." Ethan said, looking blank. He took his hand away. "We-we just can't. It's..." He sighed again and got up, heading out of the classroom, leaving her standing there.

_Wow. Did he really just do that?_

* * *

"Thanks for walking me home." Beth said, giggling.

Things were going great with her. Della had developed some connection with her, and they were getting pretty close, almost like sisters. She showed her around school, she pointed out all her classes, and every step of the way, she didn't see that strange, aloof girl that she met that day. She saw the real Beth Sinclair, someone who was sweet, funny, and adorable.

Wait... did she just say "adorable"?

"It's no big deal," Della told her, squeezing her hand, "practice doesn't start until four."

"I've never had a jock friend before," Beth said randomly, "guess that makes you my first."

The two laughed. Once they made it to Elen- Beth's house, there was a loud thud. Garbagemen were tossing the boxes on the curb into a truck, and for some reason, it hurt Della to see all of those memories just go in the trash. She should've brought them home... but what would her mother have said? Still... lots of good memories were cradled in those boxes. Then again... memories with Elena.

"Are you okay?" Beth asked, looking at her sympathetically.

Della faced her, putting her other hand in her pocket. "It's hard for me to talk about; I didn't tell you everything about the girl who used to live here. She disappeared last summer. She's still missing. There's no word on what happened to her." They started up the pathway, brown and golden leaves crunching underneath their shoes.

"That must've been _awful_ for you..."

"I used to think," Della faced Beth as they got to the stairs, "if I didn't talk about her, I wouldn't think about her."

"But you still do." Beth finished.

"Yeah..."

"I'm really sorry, Del." Della nodded understandably and stared at her. She really was pretty. _Really _pretty. And all of a sudden, she found herself merging in with Beth, almost about to... _kiss _her. Oh my God. "I'm sorry!" Della smiled awkwardly and pulled her head away. She laughed a little, but it was a nervous giggle. Not like, 'Haha! We totally almost kissed!', more like, 'Haha... God, we almost kissed...' "I'll- I'll see you tomorrow..."

"Yeah. Bye."

She watched Beth go up the stairs and into the house. A part of her didn't regret that... but she would have nightmares about it.

. . .

_Phew. Long practice._

Holding the damp white towel to her body and feeling her soaked blonde hair with the other hand, Della walked straight to her locker room locker after hitting the showers. She fiddled with the lock and saw Hannah come, dressed in the Whitechapel High girls' field hockey uniform. She gave a quick smile then turned back to the lock, trying to undo it.

"Hey," spoke Hannah abruptly, "have you been hanging out with Sarah?"

Della shook her head. "Not really..." She opened the locker and found a crinkly-folded, old note on the side, looking like it was pushed in there. She took it and unfolded it, but nearly jumped to what she was reading:

_Hey, Del! Oh no! I've been replaced! Looks like you've found another friend to kiss! ~E_

Della must've been staring at it for the longest, because then Hannah said her name. She automatically folded the note again and looked up at her, smiling nervously again. "Is everything alright?"

"Why wouldn't it be?" she answered, a little too quickly. Hannah nodded and passed her.

Elena? Could Elena have sent that note? The biggest secret the two really shared was accidentally kissing. And they barely spoke about that when she wasn't missing. She just teased her about it constantly. But why would Elena be teasing her about it now? How could she have seen her and Beth?

* * *

At home and loosely in a brown bikini with a towel perched on her shoulder, Hannah looked in the fridge for a vanilla Coke. She grabbed it and tossed around to see Richard, coming into the house wearing nothing but a pair of blue board shorts, hair sticking to his forehead. He smirked and looked back, then back at her. Calling this awkward would be an understatement.

"Perfect time for a jacuzzi." he said, walking toward her, pointing back outside.

"I thought you guys weren't moving in until next week," Hannah said, trying to lift up the soda can's... thingy to open it.

"Anna wanted to get settled before classes started." She finally popped it open. "You wouldn't happen to have a towel, would you?" Hannah found herself rolling her eyes as she tossed the towel on her shoulder to Richard. He nodded and rubbed it on his bare chest and neck, and she couldn't help but stare at him... she swallowed and took a sip of the vanilla Coke, letting the scent run up her nose with a sigh. She rubbed her stinging shoulder. Damn field hockey.

"Tough day at school?" Richard asked, observing her.

"Tough field hockey practice." she clarified.

"I rowed for Alberta."

Hannah scoffed, "That looks good on a med school app."

"I did it because I loved it." Richard told her as she rubbed her shoulder harder. "You probably have a guild buildup in your bursa sac." he explained, getting all doctor-y again as he swooped behind her.

"I bet you say that to all the girls." She turned behind her and smirked.

"I can help." he insisted.

"Okay. Lay it on me, Dr. Bruner." **(Yes. THE RETURN OF RICHARD BRUNER, GRANDSON OF MANFRED BRUNER.) **He laid his hands on her shoulders, one lower on her back than the other, and pressing his fingers hard into her skin, rubbing his palms softly. It felt good... _really _good. She let go a little moan, but stopped herself. She wouldn't make this sound like sex. "That's awesome..." she simply sighed. He raised his hands higher on her shoulders, his thumbs in between her shoulder blades, massaging harder. She closed her eyes and parted her lips. Oh, how it felt too good.

"Is that alright?" he asked softly.

But then their moment was cut short by Anna.

"Richard?" her voice asked from the hall. His hands almost immediately dropped from Hannah's shoulders and landed by his sides. Hannah took the slightly-used towel and her vanilla Coke and walked slowly out the room and outside.

. . .

_Richard was so right. It was an __awesome day for a jacuzzi. _

Now plopped on her bed, holding her head up while reading out of To Kill a Mocking Bird again, Hannah was distracted by Anna and Richard's laughing and indistinct conversation coming from outside. She marked her book and got up, peeking out her window. She saw the two by the doorway of the loft/barn, huddled together and giggling, still talking. Then they kissed passionately. Jealousy somewhat brewed up inside her. Why did Anna always get what she wanted?

Her laptop blooped not-so far away. She dragged herself from the window and to the chair in front of it, opening her email. She froze and cocked an eyebrow at the message:

_From: E_

_To: Hannah_

_Poor Hannah always coveys Anna's boyfriends. But remember: if you kiss, I tell!_

_-E_

Hannah darted her gaze out the window to see if anyone was watching her. But there was no one there. A memory came flooding back to her...

_Hannah, Ellie, and Erica just came from the jacuzzi in the backyard. Ellie and Erica were by the counter as Hannah crept up behind. Erica had a bitten cookie in her hand as Ellie stared at her._

_"Are you really gonna eat that, sweetie?" she asked, looking entertained. Elena always had a thing for picking at Erica. "I'm being a friend, Eri."_

_Erica's face dropped as she put down the cookie, adjusting her glasses and folding her arms as Anna came into the room, striding with her boy toy of a boyfriend, Martin. Hannah rolled her eyes but smiled._

_"Aren't you supposed to be at Elena's?" Anna asked, looking a little annoyed._

_"Hey, girls." Martin greeted warmly._

_"Hi, Martin." Elena said back, waving._

_"You still need help with your scoop, Han," Hannah looked at him, "I've got my stick in the car."_

_"Martin, what are you, her babysitter?" Anna scoffed. She took his hand and was pulling him away until Elena spoke up to Hannah._

_"You need to tell your sister." she said suddenly._

_Anna pushed herself back in the room. "Tell me what?"_

_Hannah shot a glance at Ellie, who was looking __innocent. "Nothing." she covered up._

_Anna rolled her eyes and directed Martin back where they were going. Hannah's face hardened as she glared at Ellie. "Outside." she commanded, as if she were a dog. The two left Erica standing there, confused. Hannah shut the door and faced Elena. "What the hell are you doing?" she demanded, crossing her arms._

_Elena had a serious face on. "She's gonna find out."_

_"No she's not."_

_"I promise you; she is, because if you don't tell her," Her blue eyes pierced harder into Hannah's own eyes, "I will." she threatened. _

_"I thought you were my friend," Hannah said, raising an eyebrow._

_Elena laughed a little. "Don't you get it? I'm trying to help you do the right thing."_

_"It was one kiss!" Elena rolled her eyes and turned astray, but Hannah grabbed her wrist and turned her back to her. "Listen to me, Elena!"_

_"Or what?"_

_Hannah didn't hesitate. "If you say one word to my sister about Martin, I will tell everyone the truth about The Heather Thing." Elena looked dangerously at her and tore herself away, storming away._..

Hannah got up from her computer. What if Elena finally figured out how to seek her revenge? What if she was watching her? Hannah crept towards the window and towards the window, staring at the old DeMarenis house. The new neighbors, the Sinclairs, were living there, so there was no way Ellie could've still been there. But then she saw curls of blonde hair streak behind a figure, walking out of the room. She almost staggered back, panicking.

"Elena?" she whispered.

* * *

"I'm sorry for just stopping by," Della said, sitting on the Smiths' swing chair on the porch.

Sarah shook her head, smiling. "No, any time, Del. Come on, you know that."

After a little moment of silence, Della went ahead and said, "Somebody left a note in my locker."

A little relief came in Sarah, glad that she wasn't the only one being teased, but then a thud of shock came over. "From 'E'?"

"You too?"

"Do you really think it's her? Is it even possible? You said it yourself, she's... dead. Right?"

Della hesitated and looked uncomfortable. "Only Elena could have known."

"Known? Known what?"

"It was..."

"Personal?" Della nodded.

"I _really_ believed she was dead."

"Yeah, we all did."

"Could she really be back?"

"I think... she's playing with us."

"Why would she be doing that?"

"It's _Elena DeMarenis_ we're talking about. I mean, wasn't that her favorite sport?"

"... I think we should tell someone."

Sarah looked at her, shaking her head. "No. I don't know about you, but, I can't. It's way too deep. I could get into _serious _trouble." What would her mom even think if she knew that her dad cheated on her with his student? She would never trust her. She could turn against her. God, she'd be so angry, she'd possibly kick both her and her father out the house. And that wasn't right for her to find out after a year.

"I'm glad you're back," Della said. A hint of a smile crossed her lips.

"It's funny." Sarah said, looking down at her hands. "I mean, even though I grew up here, I feel like a total outsider."

"Me, too..."

* * *

_I sure as hell hope that's salad. _Erica thought, walking into the kitchen, where her mother was taking some veggies up from a styrofoam container along with some grilled chicken strips and putting them on two square plates. _Okay. Good._

She walked toward one of the drawers.

"I ran into Maria Smith this morning," Mrs. Campbell said, looking at her daughter. Erica didn't look at her, she just searched through the drawer. "Why didn't you tell me Sarah was back?"

Erica took out some utensils and brought them over to the counter. "It's not like we're still _friends_, Mom."

Mrs. Campbell passed her a plate and walked with her own to their dining table. "She didn't know your father left. I hate telling that story."

Erica didn't like talking about how "tragic" her life was now that her mom and dad were divorced and how he left her, abandoning the family. See, that didn't randomly come up in conversations, now did it. "So, change the story." She sat down at gave her mother the navy blue bundle of utensils. "I did." Her mom laughed. "You grew up; you grew apart. It was mutual, and honestly, we are much happier without him."

"Erica..." her mother sighed.

"Say it enough, and you'll actually start to believe it." She looked down at her plate and started to pick out the meat, or all the fat. She had to be careful with her popular status. If she started eating fat again, she'd fall down the social ladder all over again, and they'd just look at her as that dorky girl again.

"Well, I have to admit. It does sound a lot better than the truth."

"Nobody needs to know that we got dumped."

Mrs. Campbell put her wine glass firmly back on the table. "_We _didn't get dumped. _I _did."

"He left both of us." Erica told her, shaking her head. Her cell started vibrating in her purse. She picked it up.

"If that's Sunday, I'm staging an intervention."

But it wasn't Sunday; that was the weird part. It was from... _Hannah_? It read:_  
_

_WE NEED TO TALK! URGENT. - Hannah_

"Erica, it's dinnertime." Mrs. Campbell insisted, making her look up from the phone. Just then, her own phone chirped. Erica smiled and gave her an _are you serious? _look. She smiled back and answered. "It's Ramona." The doorbell chimed. Mrs. Campbell jerked her arm up, looking pissed off. Erica giggled and got up to answer the door. "Yes, I left it on your desk. Mhmm..."

Erica got to the door, phone still at hand, and opened it. A man in a fine suit stood there with a police officer at his side. "Erica Campbell?" She nodded. "Is your mother home?" He flashed his badge at her. Mrs. Campbell came by the door, still on the phone.

"Let me call you back," she told the person on the other end. She hung up. "What's this about?"

"We received a call from Whitechapel Mall Security; they have your daughter on tape shoplifting a pair of sunglasses."

Erica sucked in her breath as her mom turned to look at her. "I'm sure there's been a mistake. Erica would never do that; she knows better."

"I don't think so," the suit guy said. He reached behind him. "Could you turn around?" A pair of silver handcuffs appeared in his hands. Erica had no choice but to turn around willingly, hands behind her back. The guy clipped them onto her wrists. They were tight.

_Oh crap._

. . .

At the police station, was more awkward that she could imagine. It was amazingly boring and there was nothing to do, so she just sat there, fiddling her thumbs, shakily. She was caught; and she didn't like it. But if she was busted, where was Sunday? They couldn't let her go easy. She robbed that scarf! She was right next to her when they walked out. Erica sighed and looked across the hall where her mom was talking with Detective Williams. Her mom crossed her legs and Williams was looking straight to her. He got up and shut the door discreetly.

_What? They're talking about me, but they don't want me to hear?_ she thought.

She rolled her eyes and stared at the paper-covered wall in front of her, then dipped her hand in the M&Ms in the dish beside her. Her phone rang in her purse. She dropped the M&Ms back in and went to retrieve her phone. When she looked at the text, it was from a private number:

_Be careful, Erica. I hear jail food makes you fat. - E_

Something jumped up inside her. Only Elena ever knew about her little weight problem. Was she really missing? Or was she just hiding?

. . .

After a few minutes on-edge, Detective Williams passed by Erica and fled out the nearby door. Then, Mrs. Campbell appeared at her side and walked straight by her. Erica got up, puzzled, taking her bag.

"What's going on?" she asked her mother.

"Let's go."

"Really?"

She couldn't believe it. After all that intimidation, all the dirty looks, and all the nervousness buzzing in her veins... she was going home? Un-arrested? Was that even possible? Could that even be legal? Or real? She followed her mom out the station where sirens were wailing and cops and detectives were surrounding the front, talking and walking into squad cars. Some pulled away in a flash.

Mrs. Campbell went toward their car and let herself in while Erica slid in the passenger seat. She buckled her seatbelt and stared down at the dashboard. God, her mom would probably give her the longest damn lecture in the world.

"In a small town like this," Mrs. Campbell spoke, making her look up at her, "what people think about you matters." She nodded and said 'I know' as soft as possible. "Then why would you risk it all to steal a pair of _sunglasses_? Erica, I buy you everything you need to be popular-"

"That's not why I do it!"

"Then why do- this is something you do?"

"A-a few times..."

Mrs. Campbell scowled, "This is about your father isn't it?" Erica turned away, folding her arms. "You think this going to get his attention, don't you?"

"..." Her eyes locked on the arousing darkness outside, then at the twinkles of stars outside. "I made a mistake."

"In Whitechapel, you don't have room to make a mistake. And neither do I."

She held herself from crying and snapped her head towards her mom. "I'm sorry! I'll fix it, somehow." She wasn't going to cry about this. Her mother was right. In Whitechapel, people didn't make mistakes. It was too small of a town in order to do so. God-forbid anyone found out about this little meeting... She would be mocked and scorned at Whitechapel High, and she probably would have to invest in a bunch of sunglasses, just to hide her face.

"You will deny you did anything wrong," Mrs. Campbell spoke. Wait, what? Erica narrowed her eyes at her, even more confused than she was leaving the building. "It was a misunderstanding."

"But..."

"I'm taking care of it."

She kept quiet and didn't say anything else once she turned on the car engine.

* * *

An ambulance siren went off on Della's way home from Sarah's house. It hurried down the street towards a crowd gathering in front of Beth's house. She jogged toward the crowd, and stopped to see police cars blocking the front of the house. She went through a gap in the congregation and went across the street. Something could've happened to Beth... could it? What if she got injured on the construction site? After all, the workers were with the police, too. But no, nothing happened to Beth at all. She was standing by the steps, looking around at the scene. Della sped towards her.

"Beth!" she shouted.

"Della!" She wrapped her arms around her, pulling her close.

Della had her hands on her shoulders, scanning her for bruises or such. "I thought something might've happened to you."

"I tried to call you."

"What's going on?"

Beth hesitated, but said, "They found your friend."

Elena? Elena's not dead, so she could be "E." But she had too many questions to ask her, too many things to catch up on. She was actually delighted that Ellie was back. She was about to race inside to find her. "I knew she was back! Is she inside?"

"Del!" Beth gripped onto her wrist and pulled her back. "I'm sorry." She looked deeply hurt, like something bad happened. "They found Elena's _body._"

Tears all of a sudden streamed down her cheeks. She felt herself start to cry. Elena was dead. If they just uncovered her body, she had been dead from the start, for God knows how long. Beth took Della in for a hug again as she saw two men dressed in black haul something on top of a gurney and take it away. There was Elena. Unmoving, covered up, and presumably dirty from concrete and cement. The world just decided to hit her with a car, straight in the chest. She couldn't be dead. No, no, no...

* * *

Erica had found out where the police cars were heading: the old DeMarenis house. Piles of people crowded in front, watching the men crowd around the house, writing in notepads and looking around the perimeter for footprints or something like that. Elena was back, thank God. When she finally got a good look, it was of two guys dragging a gurney. Something was wrapped in black plastic. Elena was back alright... but she was dead. But, who sent her that text? Who knew about her secret?

* * *

Pulling up to the DeMarenises' old house, just ahead, Sarah stopped at the sight of cops and people. Red flashing lights flickered around and sirens were hearable in the distance. Was it possible that they finally found Ellie? She jumped out the car and searched around for maybe a newscast with her, interviewing her, or for her getting cleaned off or hugged or held somehow, maybe someone comforting her because she was traumatized. But she just saw Hannah, standing in a faint light far across the street. Sarah started coming toward her and turned for a split second, just to see people load something into a van. No. That wasn't Elena.

She shook her head and ran towards Hannah now, who looked just as surprised, even thought she lived next door. There weren't away words among them for a moment.

"Heard the cops took Erica to the police station today..." Sarah told her, leaning toward her.

Hannah abruptly turned to her. "You don't think she'd ever talk about-"

"The Heather Thing?" Erica was beside Hannah now, looking at the house. "We made a promise..."

* * *

"Current owners of the residence were in the process of demolishing the structure to make room for a renovation project, when worker made the gruesome discovery. The parents of the deceased teen were unavailable for comment, but a family spokesperson has confirmed the gazebo was under construction the summer 15-year-old Elena DeMarenis disappeared. Tonight, the family is asking for privacy as they come to terms with the sad ending to a year-long mystery, and local authorities are coming to terms with the fact that a killer is at large in Whitechapel."

Erica sucked in her breath whilst stirring her Ben and Jerry's ice cream, cozied on the couch, watching the news. Elena was indeed dead. Her parents weren't available for confrontation, and she must've fell in the pit construction workers were digging for her family's gazebo the night of their end-of-freshman-year sleepover. It was sad to think about it. Elena was actually-

There was a large crash. Erica snatched the remote and muted the TV, afraid that there might have been a burglar in the house. She held the wool blanket close to her and put down the ice cream, adjusting her glasses so that she could see. Yeah, she wore her glasses at night. There was no one around but her mom to see her.

A man's back appeared by the doorway, turned to face her. He held a woman against the stairway. She tried to keep herself from gasping. It was Detective Williams and her mother. He grabbed her and kissed her, running his hand down her back. She breathed heavily. They didn't know Erica was watching, so they went on with it, taking it extremely explicitly. He dragged her hand and guided her upstairs. Mrs. Campbell turned sharply toward Erica, watching her.

_I'll take care of it... _her voice said into her head. It was disgusting.

If this was what her mother did to get her out of jail, what would she do when she found out she was flunking Algebra?

* * *

The next morning, hundreds, if not the whole town of Whitechapel came to mourn poor Elena DeMarenis. The streets were packed with black cars and hearses. People dashed in black made their way through the autumn breeze towards the chapel. Newreporters were sprinkled around the scene. A guy from channel eight was there, saying,

"The discovery of her body rocked this community, and today, hundreds of mourners gather to say goodbye to Elena DeMarenis."

Della walked with her mother, painfully looking at everything. Some people were crying. Some people were angry. Some people barely cared, they just showed up because everyone else was there. Whitechapel High was closed to honor their late student, so that meant everyone's parents were there with their kids. By the doorway leading into the church, the Prices were there, Hannah in the lead, wearing a simple black dress and matching heels, hair pulled back as always. Mrs. Callaway broke away from Della and hugged Mr. Price, leading into a conversation they hadn't had for a year. As her mom was hugging the Prices, Della embraced Hannah, hugging her tightly and not letting go.

* * *

Sarah stared out one of the church's windows, above the main center, wiping away some tears and mascara on a napkin. She couldn't believe this was happening. And to make it even worse, Ethan appeared by her.

"Was she a friend of yours?" he asked. He was dressed nicely in a black suit and a decorative black tie.

"Do you even care?" she asked back, shaking her head.

He was about to say something in reply, but closed his mouth. He then said, "I don't know what I feel worse about. Having to stay away from you, or being a jerk about it."

True, being away from Ethan was like someone's hand squeezing her heart until she was gasping for air. And true, he was pretty jerky about the whole thing, just leaving her the other night.

"Yeah," Sarah said finally, "she was one of my best friends."

"I'm sorry..."

"For Elena, or for being a jerk?"

"Both." he said with a smile.

She smiled back. "Thank you. I would never want to do anything that would get you into trouble." He nodded understandably and brushed his hand on her arm, sending tickles up her spine. She smiled a bit wider and pecked a kiss on his cheek, tiptoeing as she did so. "Goodbye, Ethan." She started to walk away, going down the stairs when his arm touched her waist, reeling her back in and hugging her, pressing his lips against hers. She shut her eyes and rubbed his back, pushing the kiss in further. They kissed a couple more times and then she flicked some of his hair, slicking it back. She gently pulled herself away, staring a little more into those deep brown eyes, and then going down the stairs, holding her purse's strap.

. . .

Walking into the church was a little weird. She didn't expect so many people to turn up for Elena's funeral. But she was popular after all, so it kinda did make sense. And seeing Mrs. DeMarenis again in ages was even weirder. She was always a cool moon. She was gorgeous too, like her daughter, with sea-blue eyes, a structured face, glowing ivory skin, and blonde hair that was pulled up into a bun. She was shaking the hand of a parishioner.

"Mrs. DeMarenis?" Sarah asked, coming closer.

She turned and gasped. "Sarah, I'm so glad you came." She bent down and hugged her, then pulled back. "I asked the other girls to sit together up front. It's what Elena would have wanted." She gestured to three figures sitting next to one another in the very first left pew. "Would you join them?"

"Of course." She smiled at Mr. DeMarenis and then proceeded ahead, eyeing the sleek, black coffin shrouded in pink, white, and red roses. Tons of flowers were around it on the altar. Elena's picture was standing next to it, looking amongst the crowd, happy and smiling. Sarah tried to stop herself from crying again. She dabbed a finger under her eye when a hand held her own. Blue eyes stared at her. Erica. She smiled knowingly. Beside her was Hannah and then Della. This wasn't the reunion she had hoped for.

They slid down the empty pew, making room for her to sit.

"Poor Ellie." Della said, her voice small and fragile, sounding like a little girl.

"Can you believe what a scene this is?" Erica asked, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Elena would have loved it." Sarah chuckled along, smiling.

"Popular in life, and death." Hannah agreed.

Erica reached down into her purse and picked out a silver flask of alcohol. She passed it down to Della.

"No thanks, I don't-"

"Today, I think you do." Erica insisted, pushing it closer to her. She took it anyway. Sarah's phone bleeped, alarming the three as she took it out. "Anyone we know?"

Sarah shook her head, closing her phone. "Nah, it's just my mom..." She studied their faces. They looked scared and concerned. Could they gotten texts from E, too? "Della and I aren't the only ones who got messages from 'E,' are we?"

People started whispering and Hannah turned around. Her eyes widened as she tugged on Erica's arm. "Oh my God..." she whispered. "It's Heather."

The girls turned around quickly in unison to see Heather White, accompanied by her stepbrother Tad McGiller. Heather wore a pair of deep black sunglasses and her blonde hair was curling by her neck. Tad guided her hand and her into a pew. The same Heather White that they pulled a prank on along with Ellie. The same Heather White that was the primary victim of "The Heather Thing." She was back, and so was her creepy stepbrother Tad.

The girls turned around and shuffled down the pew as Mr. and Mrs. DeMarenis sat. Mrs. DeMarenis turned to them and asked, "Did you see that Heather White was here? I didn't realize that she was Ellie were friends."

"They weren't." Hannah replied, shaking her head. She and Sarah turned back again. It was like Heather could be looking straight at them and they wouldn't know. She was blind. But it was obvious that Tad was giving them a dirty stare.

"The Lord giveth," the minister said, starting the ceremony, "and the Lord taketh away..."

. . .

Sarah left the chapel, arm-in-arm with Erica, going down the stairs with Hannah and Della behind. They walked past others who had huddled together to talk about the service when Detective Williams showed up.

"Della," he said, scanning them, "Hannah. Sarah and Erica."

Erica looked down, avoiding his gaze as Sarah stared at him.

"Do we know you?" Hannah asked, squinting.

"I'm Detective Williams," he explained, reaching inside his jacket's inside pocket, "I understand you were all good friends with the victim." He handed Hannah his card. They nodded in unison. "I'm gonna need to talk to each one of you."

"We talked to the police when Elena went missing," Della said.

"And I intend to go over every one of your statements. This is no longer a missing person's investigation, it's a murder. Rest assured, I will find out what really happened that summer." He turned and walked away, leaving the girls frazzled. Tad and Heather passed by, him leading her into a black car upfront. Detective Williams eyed the DeMarenises when they left the church.

"Do you think he knows about-"

"No. How could he?" Erica interrupted Sarah, shaking her head.

Then, their cell phones almost rang on cue. They reached inside and pulled them out nervously. "Oh my God..."

"It's from..."

"I got one too." Della said, eyes locked on the screen.

"'I'm still here, bitches..." Hannah read.

"... and I know everything. 'E.''" they finished together. They looked at each other, eyes wandering from the text and to them.

_So, Elena DeMarenis was dead. And someone knew the secrets of these pretty little liars. Sarah's love life was all but fun and games, since she could get her boyfriend in a shitload of trouble with the police for dating her teacher, Erica's mom was busy covering up her crimes with her lips, Hannah had a not-so teensy reputation of seeing what she wanted and going to get it, and Della's sexuality was all but a mystery. And they were a clueless. Clueless to know who I was and what I wanted. Clueless to everything I had in store for them, and clueless to what I was capable of. Because my dears, I have a lot of dirt on these girls... and I'm not afraid to use it. They ruined my life, and now... it's time for a fun price to pay._

**_~ E_**


End file.
